Red Paddle Co: The Tesla Of Paddle Boards?

Ok, so maybe it’s a little click-bait, but the comparison has legs. Hear me out… By all accounts Red Paddle Co. stands atop the field of manufacturers for design, innovation, exacting standards, and uncompromising quality. If you want the best boards on the market, look no further. And like Tesla, this comes with a price. Red boards can be double the cost of others. Is it worth the spend? In brief, yes. If you can justify the cost, get one of these boards. You won’t be disappointed.

WHAT IS MSL?

MSL is the material we use on all of our boards. MSL involves fusing a second layer of hard-wearing polymer to the dropstitch core at the raw material stage, rather than hand gluing it. This completely removes hand gluing errors and cosmetic blemishes. The high-tech industrial process also saves almost 2kg in weight and makes the boards stiffer at lower pressures.

WHAT IS TEC AIR – TECHNOLOGY?

Tec Air is the process we use to refine and develop our boards at every stage of production. We’re the only inflatable SUP brand in the world that produces our boards in a dedicated private facility.

What this means is that these boards are rock solid. With their 5-year warranty, you’ll own and enjoy this product for many years to come,.

But there’s more… As we’ve discussed throughout our journey together in paddle board education, the bridge between hard boards and inflatables is the holy grail. Inflatables tick off most boxes over hard boards, but still suffer a complex of comparison when it comes to rigidity, and, in many cases, thickness. Lean, hard boards cut through stuff. That’s where the line is crossed. Well, with Red boards, that line is really, really blurry.

Red Boards are 4.7” thin, compared to 6” for most other boards. This makes a huge difference when you’re dealing with windy conditions that could blow and toss most inflatables. You’ll see the telltale splashes across the deck, and your feet will get wet like a hard board. Some might prefer a thicker board, which is fine - it certainly keeps your gear dry.

Red Boards can also take 20+ psi of air pressure. What this means is that they are HARD. Like serious rock hard. I can’t tell you how many people have been fooled by these boards, assuming they are solid, even after riding them. Add to this that Red Boards come with stiffing strips that you insert into the sides to add a 40% boost to the rigidity.

I’m never one to overlook design, and the Red boards are decidedly sexy. I’m all-in on the purple color. The deck pad is very comfy on the feet. The shape glides very fast through the water and you’d be hard-pressed to find a more stable balance. There’s a minimalist feel to their logo and color scheme. It feels well-made. Like other luxury products, including Tesla, they’ve considered the details, so the packaging, accessories, and documentation all round-out the experience.

On the performance front, the major decision to make is Sport vs Ride? The question to ask yourself is if you’re planning for this to be your workout board or a recreational board. If you just like to get outside, enjoy nature, feel stable and paddle at a reasonable pace, go for the Ride. If you want to kick it up a notch, consider paddling a fitness regimen and want more out of your workout, the Sport is the way to go. In either case, you’ll get a responsive board, smooth glide, solid tracking, and a durable foundation under-foot. My only criticism is that for more aggressive buoy (or stepback) turns the rocker shape doesn’t pop and spin like some other boards. For most, this isn’t a primary or secondary concern. It wouldn’t dissuade me unless I was racing this board.

So, once again, the advice is: if you can afford it, you’ll never look back. Owning a Red Paddle board is not an empty status symbol, it’s a smart purchase that will deliver year after year. The only caveat is that Red sells out. Quickly. They are in such high demand that we’ve created a pre-order to get the first shipment of their 2022 stock.